• QTSAS 2017 awarded 83 catering merchants and travel agencies
  • MGTO Director Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes said that Macao will launch a ‘Macao Year of Gastronomy’ to showcase the city’s gastronomic culture

Winners of QTSAS Awards 2017 in Catering and Travel Agency Sectors Unveiled

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Organized by Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO), the Awards Gala Dinner for the Quality Tourism Services Accreditation Scheme (QTSAS) was held on 5th December, 2017. A total of 74 qualified catering merchants were presented with the Star Merchant Award in recognition of their outstanding tourism services in QTSAS 2017. Four of them were also presented the Service Star Award, having received the highest score in their respective categories.

In addition, nine qualified travel agencies were presented with the Star Merchant Award. To commend travel agencies which provided their patrons with high quality services within and beyond Macao, MGTO conferred the 'Service Star Award - Inbound Service' and 'Service Star Award - Outbound Service' to two Star Merchant travel agencies which met the prescribed standard and received the highest total score for 'Inbound Service' and 'Outbound Service', respectively.

MGTO Director Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes remarked that with Macao's new designation as a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy, a Macao Year of Gastronomy will be launched this year to promote the cultural image of Macao. She added that the new designation will attract new models of development that recognize creativity as a strategic factor of diversified and sustainable development in Macao.

She hopes that the creative momentum of gastronomy can propel other cultural and creative industries and tourism related sectors, and inspire collaboration in the tourism industry as well as catering and the cultural and creative sectors for a burst of synergism as all join hands to inherit and revive Macao's cultural legacy.

In order to establish service quality standards for members of the tourism industry and to support and encourage them to upgrade their service quality, MGTO launched QTSAS in 2014. The Scheme also seeks to recognize tourism businesses for their outstanding services and excellent service management.

Since the Scheme was rolled out for the catering industry in the first two years with good results achieved, the Office extended the scope of the Scheme to include travel agencies, as well, starting from 2016. A total of 233 catering merchants and 37 travel agencies have received a Star Merchant Award.

Since QTSAS was launched, MGTO has held an array of highly participated in training courses and professional accreditation courses targeting the demand of the participating and award-winning merchants, supporting them in the enhancement of their service quality. In addition, MGTO has consistently promoted the Scheme via various channels and has produced brochures with lists of award-winning merchants, including the 'Star Merchant Award - Restaurants and Eateries Guide' and 'Star Merchant Award - Travel Agency Industry' for distribution at various Tourist Information counters.

For more information about QTSAS and the Awards Gala Dinner, please visit MGTO Macao Tourism Industry Net: http://industry.macaotourism.gov.mo. The public can also visit the MGTO website (www.macaotourism.gov.mo) for the list of winning merchants.